⊂ EUROPE ⊃
Terror in the heart of Europe: Two explosions hit Brussels Zaventem Airport on Tuesday morning followed by another one in the Metro near the European district in what appears like a coordinated terrorist attack. The death toll keeps rising as figures are updated by Belgian authorities: 14 dead and 81 injured at Brussels airport; 20 dead and 106 injured at Maelbeek Metro station. Belgium has raised the terror alert to its highest level, an active manhunt is underway. The “Islamic State” terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attacks, but said all attackers had blown themselves up. Police, however, believe a third suspect didn’t follow through after finding and destroying a suicide belt in the airport.
euractiv.com, euronews.com
Sympathy and populism: The Brussels attacks prompted condemnation by leaders across the globe. EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker expressed his sympathy to the people of Brussels, to the many wounded, and to the families and loved ones of the victims. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini broke down in tears after saying Europe and the Middle East should tackle together the violence which brought grief to both parts of the world. However, not everyone showed as much tact. “The dream of a colorful Europe is dead, bombed away yet again” said Germany’s AfD leader Frauke Petry. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said authorities should be able to do “whatever they have to do” to gain information in an effort to thwart future attacks.
europa.eu (Juncker), theguardian.com (Mogherini), wsj.com (Petry), reuters.com (Trump)
Refugee sets himself on fire: After the refugee deal between the EU and Turkey, helpers on the Greek island of Lesbos have begun a strike. The aid organisation “Doctors Without Borders” will discontinue its work in the reception centre Moria, the so-called “hot spot” on Lesbos. The EU-Turkey deal refers to stopping and returning irregular migrants and migrants not in need of international protection in exchange for refugees to be resettled from Turkey. In the encampment at Idomeni, a refugee set himself on fire on Tuesday in protest at the closure of Macedonia’s border with Greece. The flames were doused by other refugees and the young man was taken to hospital. Greek police said his injuries were not life-threatening.
fortune.com, telegraph.co.uk
Schäuble to realign EU budget: In the face of foreseeable additional expenditures to cope with the refugee crisis, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble has called for a realignment of the EU budget. He also said a fundamental discussion was needed about a realignment of the EU budget with a stronger focus on domestic growth and reform goals. Schäuble indirectly criticised the ECB’s monetary policy.
faz.net
European mayors urge clampdown on diesel emissions: The mayors of 20 European cities including Madrid, Paris and Copenhagen, but excluding London, have called for more stringent regulations to be put in place across the continent to tackle the deadly levels of air pollution caused by diesel vehicles. In a letter published in French newspaper “Le Monde” this week, the mayors warn that new governance of EU car emissions, which will effectively see limits on emissions relaxed by 2019, is giving the automotive industry the ‘green light’ to overstep limits and endanger public health.
euractiv.com
Gunmen attack EU military mission in Mali: Gunmen on Monday attacked a hotel in Mali’s capital, Bamako, that had been converted into the headquarters of a European Union military training operation, but there no casualties among the mission’s personnel. One of the assailants was killed and two suspects were arrested and were being interrogated, the country’s internal security minister said.
reuters.com
Ex-EU Commissioner: Neelie Kroes joins the board of Salesforce techcrunch.com
Human trafficking: EU Parliament to fight human trafficking euractiv.de
Open letter: NGOs urge Commission to review EU’s Common Agricultural Policy euractiv.com
MEPs: Call for mandatory country of origin labelling of meat and milk europarl.europa.eu
Glyphosate herbicide: Don’t renew its authorisation, urge MEPs europarl.europa.eu
⊂ QUOTES ⊃
„The attackers are enemies of all values that Europe stands for today, and for which we as members of the European Union stand for, especially on this day, and with great pride.“
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday that Germany will cooperate with the Belgian government in any possible way to find and punish those responsible for the attacks in Brussels.
politico.eu
⊂ COUNTRIES ⊃
Court sentences Savchenko to 22 years in jail: A Russian court has sentenced Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko to 22 years in jail after finding her guilty of involvement in the killing of two Russian journalists during the separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine. The sentence is likely to further inflame Russia’s already dire relations with Kiev, and prompt protests from the European Union, which has called for Savchenko’s release. Savchenko, who has become a national hero at home in Ukraine, has denied having anything to do with the deaths of the journalists.
euractiv.com
Brexit could cause serious shock: If Britain chooses to leave the EU this summer, its economy could suffer a serious shock and there would be a real blow for jobs, new research commissioned by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has found. A so-called Brexit could cost the economy as much as 100 billion pounds and 950,000 jobs by 2020. Even if the UK quickly secured a free trade agreement with the EU, analysis suggests that GDP could still slip as much as 3 percent in the next four years.
cnbc.com, uk.reuters.com
Sarkozy loses appeal in corruption case: Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s hopes of running for president again next year have been dealt a blow by a court ruling that paves the way for him to stand trial for corruption and influence peddling. The former French leader had hoped that wire-tapped tapes of private conversations with his lawyer would be ruled illegal and inadmissible in court, leading to the case being thrown out. But on Tuesday France’s highest court, the cour de cassation, ruled that investigators broke no law by using the phone taps, clearing the final obstacle for prosecutors hoping to bring Sarkozy to trial.
theguardian.com
Slovak parties sign pact to give Fico third term: Slovakia’s ruling leftist party Smer and three small centrist and nationalist partners signed a coalition agreement on Tuesday, paving the way for a new government. Prime Minister Robert Fico is expected to be sworn in for a third term as premier on Wednesday or Thursday. He will then have 30 days to win a confidence vote in the 150-seat parliament, where the four parties hold 81 seats.
uk.reuters.com
Germany: CDU to hold coalition talks with Green party sueddeutsche.de
Vatican: Pope to wash feet of refugees abcnews.com
⊂ DATA ⊃
Coal power plants use enough water to supply the needs of 1 billion people and that will almost double if all the world’s planned power plants come online.
euractiv.com
⊂ JOB-BOARD ⊃
politjobs.eu: 350.org seeks campaigner *** Steltemeier & Rawe seeks Senior Associate (m/f) *** 1&1 sucht EU Public Affairs Manager VKU sucht Referentin/en *** Afore Consulting seeks Junior Consultants in European Public Affairs
politjobs.eu, politjobs.eu/submit (Inserat schalten)
⊂ MALFUNCTION ⊃
The cook, the president, and American fast food: For forty years, Bernard Vaussion cooked for France’s presidents, their guests, and once even for a president’s dog. Vaussion knows a lot about the leaders’ preferences, the influence of wives, and etiquette at the Elysee Palace. A presidential dinner usually takes about 50 minutes, although sometimes things can go faster. Former French leader Nicolas Sarkozy likes to leave out the cheese. And a lunch with US President Barack Obama once only took 12 minutes.
faz.net